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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29006097">Find Somewhere That Feels Safe</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bristrandd/pseuds/bristrandd'>bristrandd</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>hurry up! (we're dreaming) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Related, M/M, Panic Attacks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:55:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,025</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29006097</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bristrandd/pseuds/bristrandd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>TK couldn't sleep. Not when that call kept replaying in his mind. </p>
<p>* </p>
<p>(spoilers for 2x02)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>hurry up! (we're dreaming) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1929481</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Find Somewhere That Feels Safe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi my sexys. soooo last night's episode really fucked me up,, like more than expected so now we're here. i whipped this up in 20 minutes and its definitely not my best but LMFOOAOA oh well </p>
<p>titles from "chasing" by nf featuring mikayla sippel</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It all happened too fast. Too fast that Tim was alive and with a blink, he was down on the ground, life slipping from him as lava pooled and burned his chest to a crisp. This wasn't supposed to happen. It <em>shouldn't </em>have but it did. It did and that's the cruelest part because what was TK doing? Tim wouldn't have even been there if he wasn't alone, aiding—what was even his name?—Spence all <em>alone</em>. And then his dad went racing over to Tim, to help him move Spence because they were supposed to fall back. And at that point, the fucking <em> lava rock </em>was flying in their direction, the word "Dad!" on the tip of TK's tongue, as it hit someone who wasn't Owen. The relief rushed over him, but only for a second before the fear came back. And instead of <em>dad</em>, Tim's name rang out. But it wasn't his scream. It was Nancy's. </p>
<p>Nancy, who was the closest to Tim, the person who knew him the longest, who was always there with him, had to watch him die. Nancy, who was trying to push past Judd and Tommy to get to him, had to be away from the only person Tim really, really knew on the team. Was Tim scared? Did he even feel it? </p>
<p>The team learns he hasn't seen his family in years, how he's been away from everyone he loved because of a fucking pandemic because he didn't get the chance to actually leave. And, God... how was his family feeling? Did they even know? What would their reaction be?</p>
<p>And now? TK was in Carlos's arms, mourning the death of a man who was apart of their family, who was special to them, who's now gone. Because a volcanic rock took him from them, from Tim's <em>actual </em>family. From Nancy. How was she feeling? How was she holding up? TK couldn't even find it in himself to cry about it. He was too numb. </p>
<p>"Come on, baby," Carlos eventually muttered into his hair. "Let's go to bed." TK hummed, or so he assumed, and leaned out of Carlos's grasp, instantly missing the warmth. When was the last time Tim got a hug or a shoulder to lean on whenever he was upset? Did he even have anyone in Austin? TK shakily got up and allowed Carlos to pull him towards their bedroom. </p>
<p>Carlos opened the door, allowing TK to head in first, his hand resting on the bottom of his spine as he moved him to sit on the seat that rested at the end of the bed. TK's back was hunched, elbows resting on his knees as he dug his fingers into his palms. </p>
<p>"Hey," Carlos's voice was soft. It always was. He grabbed TK's hands, easing his hands and undoing them from the harmful fists he was making. "Let's not do that, yeah?" Carlos then proceeded to move towards his closet, pulling out an overworn APD sweatshirt. Walking back to TK, he undressed him, leaving him in his underwear and his sweatshirt. He placed a kiss on his forehead before moving him to the bed, lying him down.  </p>
<p>Carlos moved, lying down next to TK as he covered them both up. TK laid still, absently staring at the ceiling. </p>
<p>"Big or little?" </p>
<p>"Little," TK breathed. "If you don't mind." Carlos nodded, wrapping his arms around TK's limp body, closing his eyes. And if Carlos held TK a little tighter and a little closer because of what happened tonight, that was nobody's business but his own. </p><hr/>
<p>TK's eyes burned, tears rimming the edges of his eyes because they refused to fall. Carlos was softly snoring from behind him, arm tethered around his middle as TK had a vice grip on his hand. Every time he closed his eyes, begging sleep to overcome him, the call would come back. The bodies. The melting skin. The blood. The heat. The screams. The chaos. Everything was blurry. It was suffocating. </p>
<p>His breathing was becoming rapid. He couldn't control it and he felt guilty. He knew a panic attack was coming. He unwrapped himself from Carlos's arms, sitting up and swinging his legs over the bed as quietly and motionlessly as he could manage. He felt dizzy, nausea rising up his throat as the tears stung from unshed tears. He got up, walking out the bedroom and down the stairs, making his way to the couch where he sat down. He ran his fingers through his hair. </p>
<p>"You're fine," he muttered to himself. "Stop panicking. You're fine. You don't need to panic." His breath hitched, a sob escaping as the tears finally fell, his hands trembling as he covered his mouth. He pressed his back against the couch, silently begging himself to stop crying as it became harder to breathe. Inhales and exhales hitting him fast. He was breathing but the air wasn't getting into his lungs as he choked on his spit, coughing harshly. </p>
<p>He placed the heels of his palms into the skin under his eyes, wiping viciously. </p>
<p>"You're okay," he repeated, stuttering slightly over his words, his heart pounding in his ears. "Dad's fine. You're fi—" </p>
<p>"You're not fine, TK," a voice said. TK jumped, a stray tear falling as he sniffled. Carlos was standing there, arms at his side as he walked over slowly. "You're not fine, and that's okay. You just lost someone. It's okay to not feel okay. You can't expect yourself to feel fine. I'm here if you want to talk, but not right now because I know talking isn't what you need." TK let out another sob, hand going to cover his face again. Carlos sat down next to him on the couch and TK moved towards him, wrapping his arms around his neck. Carlos returned the gesture, holding him firmly. </p>
<p>"I'm always going to be here for you, Tiger."</p>
<p>"Thank you, babe," TK cried. "Thank you." </p>
<p>"I'll always be your safe space. I won't let anything bad happen to you, I promise." Carlos just hopes he can keep that promise. He knows, especially after tonight, that nothing is ever guaranteed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>fun fact: a volcano (because my moms paranoid and wanted me to look it up last night) is deadass a little under an hour from where i live and hasn't erupted in 440 million years. how cute</p>
<p>anyway, last night's ep had to be my favorite out of all 12 of them. it was so action-packed, we got some tarlos scenes, it was dramatic and chaotic and i loved it. did i expect it to actually like mess me up? no. but it did and yall got this out of it. </p>
<p>lol but i hope u guys enjoyed!! comments/kudos r hella appreciated!! love yall. remember wear a mask, drink water, and eat something today. u deserve it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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